Economics

Policy Minefield Ahead for Turkey as It Unwinds Albayrak’s Legacy

  • Lira, reserves will be pressured as swap restrictions ease
  • Turkey may resume FX auctions, sell bonds to rebuild reserves

Berat Albayrak

Photographer: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

Turkey’s new economic managers are racing to reverse the interventionist policies spearheaded by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s son-in-law, but their market-friendly U-turn could initially mean more volatility for the lira.

Since the ouster of the central bank governor and resignation of finance minister Berat Albayrak earlier this month, Turkey’s begun lifting restrictions meant to prevent speculators shorting the lira, abolished a rule compelling lenders to extend credit and raised interest rates by the most in over two years.